Safe-deposit vault.



J. W. COOPER. SAFE DEPOSIT VAUL' I'. nrmoumx rmzn un. 12. mo.

Patented Sept. 19, 1 911.

, awe/"41oz J57irz W60 ope COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM {KL-WASHINGTON. 9- Cf JOHN W. COOPER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

l V i i SAFE-DEPOSIT VAULT.

Patented Sept. 19, 1911.

I Application filed January 12, 1910. Serial No. 537,699.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. COOPER, citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safe-Deposit Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety deposit vaults and has for its object the provision of a strong, durable and compact device of this character, especially designed for installation in hotels, sleeping cars or in the staterooms of steam ships and the like, and which affords a burglar proof receptacle in which a person may deposit his or her valuables when traveling.

A further object is to provide a safety deposit vault having inner and outer closures, one of which is movable to released position to expose the key of the other closure.

A further object is to provide means operable by the outer closure for indicating whether the key of the inner closure has been removed from its keeper.

A'still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efiiciency. 1

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that variouschanges in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a safety deposit vault constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same in connection with a passenger car; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device detached, the inner and outer closures being shown in open position and the false top or cover of the receptacle detached; Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of the indicator, the outer closure being shown in dotted lines in partially opened position and in full lines in closed position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings byv the same reference characters.

erably rectangular in shape, as shown, and

provided with inner and outer closures 9 and 10, one of which is pivotally mounted on one side of the receptacle 8 and is provided with a suitable lock 11, while the other closure is hinged at 12 to the lower forward.

edge of the receptacle. The receptacle is provided with a vertical partition 13 defining independent compartments 14 and 15,

one of which constitutes a coin receptacle and the other a chamber for the reception of jewelry, papers and other valuables. The front wall 16 of the receptacle forms a closure for the coin receiving compartment 14 and is preferably extended the entire height of said receptacle, there being a door 17 formed in the front wall 16 of the receptacle in order to afford access to the interior of the coin receiving compartment 14. The outer closure 10 is provided at its free edge with a hasp 18 which engages a movable hook 19 which is released from its engagement with the hasp 18 upon the insertion of a coin in the opening 32.

Slidably mounted in suitable openings 37 and 38 formed in the front wall 16 of the receptacle 8 are cylindrical members 39 and 40, one of which constitutes an indicator and the other a keeper for the reception of a key 41, the latter being adapted to be removed from the keeper 40 and inserted in the lock 11 for the purpose of releasing the inner closure when it is desired to ob tain access to the compartment 15. The inner ends of the cylindrical members 39 and 40 are pivotally connected at 42 with a rocker arm 43, the latter being pivotally mounted at 44 within the compartment 28 with its lower end bearing against a spring 45. The tension of the spring 45 is such as to cause the outer or free ends of the cylindrical members 39 and 40 to project through the openings 37 and 38 so that the key 41 may be readily inserted in the keeper 40 when the outer door or closure 10 is moved to open position. I

An opening 46 is formed in the outer door or closure 10 of the vault or receptacle 8 and through which the upper cylindrical member or indicator 39 projects when the key 4:1 is seated in its keeper and the outer door is moved to closed position, thus to indicate to the porter or other attendant that the key is in its proper place. The release of the hasp 18 permits the outer door 10 to be swung downwardly to open position. The key is then removed from the keeper 10 and inserted in the lock 11 and the valuables placed in the compartment 15, after which the door or closure 9 is locked and the key 41 placed around the neck of the person using the vault or receptacle, a suit able chain or cord 48 being provided for this purpose. hen the valuables are removed from the compartment 15, the inner door or closure 9 is locked and the key 11 placed in the keeper 10, after which the outer door or closure 10 is swung upwardly to closed position which causes said outer door to press against the key 41 and through the medium of the rocker arm 13 press the indicator 39 outwardly through the opening 46 in the outer closure, thus to indicate to the porter or other attendant that the key is in its proper place. It will here be noted that when a nickel is again dropped in the chute 32 so as to release the hook 19 from its keeper 18, the tension of the spring 45 will automatically open the outer door or closure so as to permit a person to readily grasp the same and remove the door to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2 of the:

drawings.

The lower portion of the vault or recep tacle 8 is provided with a ledge 49 on which 1 the outer closure 10 rests when in open posi- 1 tion so as to form in effect a shelf and thus facilitate the insertion of the valuables into I or the removal of said valuables from the compartment 15.

number of the chair or berth at which the vault is located so as to provide a means;

for identifying the person holding the key:

display position within said opening when in case of a wreck or other accident.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A safety deposit vault including a re-i ceptacle having inner and outer closures,

a keeper mounted on the receptacle in the path of movement of the outer closure and adapted to receive a key for opening the. inner closure, and an indicator connected? with the keeper and movable to displayi position when the outer closure presses against said key.

2. A safety deposit vault including a rekey.

and an indicator operatively connected with the keeper and movable to display position within said opening when the outer closure presses against the key.

3. A safety deposit vault including a receptacle having inner and outer closures, a keeper mounted on the receptacle and adapted to receive a key for opening the inner closure, an indicator movable to display position through an opening in the outer closure when said outer closure is moved into engagement with the key, 'a rocker arm forming a pivotal connection between the keeper and indicator, and a spring normally bearing against one end of the rocker arm.

1. A safety deposit vault including a receptacle having inner and outer closures and provided with a front wall extending for a port-ion of the length of the receptacle and having spaced openings formed therein, there being an opening formed in the outer closure and adapted to register with one of the openings in the front wall of the re ceptacle, a keeper slidably mounted in one of the openings in the front wall of said receptacle and adapted to receive a key for opening the inner closure, an indicator slidably mounted in the other opening in the front wall of the receptacle and movable todisplay position within the opening of the outer closure when said outer closure is swung upwardly to closed position in engagement with the key, a connection be-. tween the indicator and keeper, and means for normally and yieldably holding the outer ends of the indicator and keeper, respectively, projected beyond the front wall of the receptacle.

5. A safety deposit vault including a receptacle having inner and outer closures movable to open position at substantially right angles to each other, the outer closure being provided with an opening, a keeper adapted to receive a key for opening the inner closure, and an indicator operatively connected with the keeper and movable .to

the outer closure is pressed against said 6. A safety deposit vault including a receptacle having inner and outer doors, a keeper mounted on the receptacle in the path of the outer door and adapted to receive a key for opening the inner door, and an indicator connected with the keeper and movable to display position when the outer door is closed.

7. A safety deposit vault including a re ceptacle having inner and outer doors, a keeper mounted on the receptacle in the path of the outer door and adapted to receive a key for opening the inner door, an indicator connected with the keeper and movable to display position when the outer door is closed, and means for automatically retracting the indicator when the outer door is opened.

8. A safety deposit vault including a receptacle havlng a closure, a keeper mounted on the receptacle and adapted to receive a key for opening said closure, means for holding the key against withdrawal from the keeper, and an indicator operatively connected with and actuated by the keeper to display said indicator when the key holding means is pressed against said key.

9. A safety deposit vault including a re ceptacle having an inner door, means for locking the inner door in closed position, a keeper mounted on the receptacle and adapted to receive a key for releasing the locking means, an outer door forming a housing for the locking means and keeper,

respectively, and an indicator operatively connected with and actuated by the keeper to display said indicator when the outer door is pressed against the key.

10. A safety deposit vault includin a receptacle having an inner door, a keeper mounted on the receptacle and adapted to receive a key for opening said inner door, an outer door forming a housing for the key, and an indicator operatively connected with the keeper and movable to display position when the door is pressed against the key.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

JOHN W. COOPER. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

MARY E. PEGK, ANNA E. PEOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

